Biomedical subjects

Yoshiki Higuchi

Publications and source records attributed to Yoshiki Higuchi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Human DNA replication-related element binding factor (hDREF) self-association via hATC domain is necessary for its nuclear accumulation and DNA binding.

We previously demonstrated that hDREF, a human homologue of Drosophila DNA replication-related element binding factor (dDREF), is a DNA-binding protein predominantly distributed with granular structures in the nucleus. Here, glutathione S-transferase pulldown and chemical cross-linking assays showed that the carboxyl-terminal hATC domain of hDREF, highly conserved among hAT transposase family members, possesses self-association activity. Immunoprecipitation analyses demonstrated that hDREF self-associates in vivo, dependent on hATC domain. Moreover, analyses using a series of hDREF mutants carrying amino acid substitutions in the hATC domain revealed that conserved hydrophobic amino acids are essential for self-association. Immunofluorescence studies further showed that all hDREF mutants lacking self-association activity failed to accumulate in the nucleus. Self-association-defective hDREF mutants also lost association with endogenous importin beta1. Moreover, electrophoretic gel-mobility shift assays revealed that the mutations completely abolished the DNA binding activity of hDREF. These results suggest that self-association of hDREF via the hATC domain is necessary for its nuclear accumulation and DNA binding. We also found that ZBED4/KIAA0637, another member of the human hAT family, also self-associates, again dependent on the hATC domain, with deletion resulting in loss of efficient nuclear accumulation. Thus, hATC domains of human hAT family members appear to have conserved functions in self-association that are required for nuclear accumulation.

Active Transport, Cell Nucleus↗

PubMed2006

Crystallization and X-ray diffraction analysis of 6-aminohexanoate-cyclic-dimer hydrolase from Arthrobacter sp. KI72.

6-Aminohexanoate-cyclic-dimer hydrolase (EI) from Arthrobacter sp. KI72 was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by anion-exchange chromatography. EI was crystallized by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method with sodium citrate as precipitant in imidazole buffer pH 8.0. The crystal is hexagonal, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 130.75, c = 58.23 A. Diffraction data were collected from native and mercury(II) dichloride-derivative crystals to resolutions of 1.90 and 2.06 A, respectively.

Amidohydrolases↗

PubMed2006

Mutational analysis of 6-aminohexanoate-dimer hydrolase: relationship between nylon oligomer hydrolytic and esterolytic activities.

Carboxylesterase (EII') from Arthrobacter sp. KI72 has 88% homology to 6-aminohexanoate-dimer hydrolase (EII) and possesses ca. 0.5% of the level of 6-aminohexanoate-linear dimer (Ald)-hydrolytic activity of EII. To study relationship between Ald-hydrolytic and esterolytic activities, random mutations were introduced into the gene for Hyb-24 (an EII/EII' hybrid with the majority of the sequence deriving for EII' and possessing an EII'-like level of Ald-hydrolytic activity). Either a G181D or a D370Y substitution in Hyb-24 increased the Ald-hydrolytic activity ca. 10-fold, and a G181D/D370Y double substitution increased activity ca. 100-fold. On the basis of kinetic studies and the three-dimensional structure of the enzyme, we suggest that binding of Ald is improved by these mutations. D370Y increased esterolytic activity for glycerylbutyrate ca. 30-50-fold, whereas G181D decreased the activity to 30% of the parental enzyme.

Amidohydrolases↗

PubMed2006

Structure of the cadherin-related neuronal receptor/protocadherin-alpha first extracellular cadherin domain reveals diversity across cadherin families.

The recent explosion in genome sequencing has revealed the great diversity of the cadherin superfamily. Within the superfamily, protocadherins, which are expressed mainly in the nervous system, constitute the largest subgroup. Nevertheless, the structures of only the classical cadherins are known. Thus, to broaden our understanding of the adhesion repertoire of the cadherin superfamily, we determined the structure of the N-terminal first extracellular cadherin domain of the cadherin-related neuronal receptor/protocadherin-alpha4. The hydrophobic pocket essential for homophilic adhesiveness in the classical cadherins was not found, and the functional significance of this structural domain was supported by exchanging the first extracellular cadherin domains of protocadherin and classical cadherin. Moreover, potentially crucial variations were observed mainly in the loop regions. These included the protocadherin-specific disulfide-bonded Cys-X(5)-Cys motif, which showed Ca(2+)-induced chemical shifts, and the RGD motif, which has been suggested to be involved in heterophilic cell adhesion via the active form of beta1 integrin. Our findings reveal that the adhesion repertoire of the cadherin superfamily is far more divergent than would be predicted by studying the classical cadherins alone.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2006

High fidelity self-sorting assembling of meso-cinchomeronimide appended meso-meso linked Zn(II) diporphyrins.

In noncoordinating solvents, meso-cinchomeronimide appended Zn(II) porphyrin 2 forms a cyclic trimer, while diporphyrins 7 exhibit high-fidelity self-sorting assembling to form discrete cyclic trimer, tetramer, and pentamer with large association constants from 7(in-in), 7(in)(-)(out), and 7(out-out), respectively, through almost perfect discrimination of enantiomeric and conformational differences of the meso-cinchomeronimide substituents. In the latter self-sorting processes, the dihedral angles dictated by the two pyridyl nitrogen atoms control the size of the aggregates; the trimer from 7(in-in), the tetarmer from 7(in)(-)(out), and the pentamer from 7(out-out). Cyclic structures of (2)(3) and (R-7(out-out))(5) have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.

Biomimetic Materials↗

PubMed2006

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of CooA from Carboxydothermus hydrogenoformans.

CooA, a homodimeric haem-containing protein, is responsible for transcriptional regulation in response to carbon monoxide (CO). It has a b-type haem as a CO sensor. Upon binding CO to the haem, CooA binds promoter DNA and activates expression of genes for CO metabolism. CooA from Carboxydothermus hydrogenoformans has been overexpressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized by the vapour-diffusion method. The crystal belongs to space group P2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 61.8, b = 94.7, c = 92.8 angstroms, beta = 104.8 degrees. The native and anomalous difference Patterson maps indicated that two CooA dimers are contained in the asymmetric unit and are related by a translational symmetry almost parallel to the c axis.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed2006

Redox interaction of cytochrome c3 with [NiFe] hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki F.

Cytochrome c3 isolated from a sulfate-reducing bacterium, Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki F, is a tetraheme protein. Its physiological partner, [NiFe] hydrogenase, catalyzes the reversible oxidoreduction of molecular hydrogen. To elucidate the mechanism of electron transfer between cytochrome c3 and [NiFe] hydrogenase, the transient complex formation by these proteins was investigated by means of NMR. All NH signals of uniformly 15N-labeled ferric cytochrome c3 except N-terminus, Pro, and Gly73 were assigned. 1H-15N HSQC spectra were recorded for 15N-labeled ferric and ferrous cytochrome c3, in the absence and presence of hydrogenase. Chemical shift perturbations were observed in the region around heme 4 in both oxidation states. Additionally, the region between hemes 1 and 3 in ferrous cytochrome c3 was affected in the presence of hydrogenase, suggesting that the mode of interaction is different in each redox state. Heme 3 is probably the electron gate for ferrous cytochrome c3. To investigate the transient complex of cytochrome c3 and hydrogenase in detail, modeling of the complex was performed for the oxidized proteins using a docking program, ZDOCK 2.3, and NMR data. Furthermore, the roles of lysine residues of cytochrome c3 in the interaction with hydrogenase were investigated by site-directed mutagenesis. When the lysine residues around heme 4 were replaced by an uncharged residue, methionine, one by one, the Km of the electron-transfer kinetics increased. The results showed that the positive charges of Lys60, Lys72, Lys95, and Lys101 around heme 4 are important for formation of the transient complex with [NiFe] hydrogenase in the initial stage of the cytochrome c3 reduction. This finding is consistent with the most possible structure of the transient complex obtained by modeling.

Binding Sites↗

PubMed2005

A single-crystal ENDOR and density functional theory study of the oxidized states of the [NiFe] hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki F.

The catalytic center of the [NiFe] hydrogenase of Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki F in the oxidized states was investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance and electron-nuclear double resonance spectroscopy applied to single crystals of the enzyme. The experimental results were compared with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. For the Ni-B state, three hyperfine tensors could be determined. Two tensors have large isotropic hyperfine coupling constants and are assigned to the beta-CH2 protons of the Cys-549 that provides one of the bridging sulfur ligands between Ni and Fe in the active center. From a comparison of the orientation of the third hyperfine tensor with the tensor obtained from DFT calculations an OH- bridging ligand has been identified in the Ni-B state. For the Ni-A state broader signals were observed. The signals of the third proton, as observed for the "ready" state Ni-B, were not observed at the same spectral position for Ni-A, confirming a structural difference involving the bridging ligand in the "unready" state of the enzyme.

Binding Sites↗

PubMed2005

Structure of a conserved hypothetical protein, TTHA0849 from Thermus thermophilus HB8, at 2.4 A resolution: a putative member of the StAR-related lipid-transfer (START) domain superfamily.

The crystal structure of a conserved hypothetical protein, TTHA0849 from Thermus thermophilus HB8, has been determined at 2.4 A resolution as a part of a structural and functional genomics project on T. thermophilus HB8. The main-chain folding shows a compact alpha+beta motif, forming a hydrophobic cavity in the molecule. A structural similarity search reveals that it resembles those steroidogenic acute regulatory proteins that contain the lipid-transfer (START) domain, even though TTHA0849 shows comparatively weak sequence identity to polyketide cyclases. However, the size of the ligand-binding cavity is distinctly smaller than other START domain-containing proteins, suggesting that it catalyses the transfer of smaller ligand molecules.

Crystallography, X-Ray↗

PubMed2005

Crystallization and X-ray diffraction analysis of 6-aminohexanoate-dimer hydrolase from Arthrobacter sp. KI72.

To investigate the structure-function relationship between 6-aminohexanoate-dimer hydrolase (EII) from Arthrobacter sp. and a cryptic protein (EII') which shows 88% sequence identity to EII, a hybrid protein (named Hyb-24) of EII and EII' was overexpressed, purified and crystallized using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method with ammonium sulfate as a precipitant in MES buffer pH 6.5. The crystal belongs to space group P3(1)21 or P3(2)21, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 96.37, c = 113.09 A. Diffraction data were collected from native and methylmercuric chloride derivative crystals to resolutions of 1.75 and 1.80 A, respectively.

Amidohydrolases↗

PubMed2005

X-ray crystallographic analysis of 6-aminohexanoate-dimer hydrolase: molecular basis for the birth of a nylon oligomer-degrading enzyme.

6-Aminohexanoate-dimer hydrolase (EII), responsible for the degradation of nylon-6 industry by-products, and its analogous enzyme (EII') that has only approximately 0.5% of the specific activity toward the 6-aminohexanoate-linear dimer, are encoded on plasmid pOAD2 of Arthrobacter sp. (formerly Flavobacterium sp.) KI72. Here, we report the three-dimensional structure of Hyb-24 (a hybrid between the EII and EII' proteins; EII'-level activity) by x-ray crystallography at 1.8 A resolution and refined to an R-factor and R-free of 18.5 and 20.3%, respectively. The fold adopted by the 392-amino acid polypeptide generated a two-domain structure that is similar to the folds of the penicillin-recognizing family of serine-reactive hydrolases, especially to those of d-alanyl-d-alanine-carboxypeptidase from Streptomyces and carboxylesterase from Burkholderia. Enzyme assay using purified enzymes revealed that EII and Hyb-24 possess hydrolytic activity for carboxyl esters with short acyl chains but no detectable activity for d-alanyl-d-alanine. In addition, on the basis of the spatial location and role of amino acid residues constituting the active sites of the nylon oligomer hydrolase, carboxylesterase, d-alanyl-d-alanine-peptidase, and beta-lactamases, we conclude that the nylon oligomer hydrolase utilizes nucleophilic Ser(112) as a common active site both for nylon oligomer-hydrolytic and esterolytic activities. However, it requires at least two additional amino acid residues (Asp(181) and Asn(266)) specific for nylon oligomer-hydrolytic activity. Here, we propose that amino acid replacements in the catalytic cleft of a preexisting esterase with the beta-lactamase fold resulted in the evolution of the nylon oligomer hydrolase.

Amidohydrolases↗

PubMed2005

Activation process of [NiFe] hydrogenase elucidated by high-resolution X-ray analyses: conversion of the ready to the unready state.

Hydrogenases catalyze oxidoreduction of molecular hydrogen and have potential applications for utilizing dihydrogen as an energy source. [NiFe] hydrogenase has two different oxidized states, Ni-A (unready, exhibits a lag phase in reductive activation) and Ni-B (ready). We have succeeded in converting Ni-B to Ni-A with the use of Na2S and O2 and determining the high-resolution crystal structures of both states. Ni-B possesses a monatomic nonprotein bridging ligand at the Ni-Fe active site, whereas Ni-A has a diatomic species. The terminal atom of the bridging species of Ni-A occupies a similar position as C of the exogenous CO in the CO complex (inhibited state). The common features of the enzyme structures at the unready (Ni-A) and inhibited (CO complex) states are proposed. These findings provide useful information on the design of new systems of biomimetic dihydrogen production and fuel cell devices.

Catalytic Domain↗

PubMed2005

Release of a damaged cofactor from a coenzyme B12-dependent enzyme: X-ray structures of diol dehydratase-reactivating factor.

The crystal structures of ADP bound and nucleotide-free forms of molecular chaperone-like diol dehydratase-reactivating factor (DDR) were determined at 2.0 and 3.0 A, respectively. DDR exists as a dimer of heterodimer (alphabeta)2. The alpha subunit has four domains: ATPase domain, swiveling domain, linker domain, and insert domain. The beta subunit, composed of a single domain, has a similar fold to the beta subunit of diol dehydratase (DD). The binding of an ADP molecule to the nucleotide binding site of DDR causes a marked conformational change of the ATPase domain of the alpha subunit, which would weaken the interactions between the DDR alpha and beta subunits and make the displacement of the DDR beta subunit by DD through the beta subunit possible. The binding of the DD beta subunit to the DDR alpha subunit induces steric repulsion between the DDR alpha and DD alpha subunits that would lead to the release of a damaged cofactor from inactivated holoDD.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

PubMed2004

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of two inhibitor complexes of the catalytic domain of death-associated protein kinase.

The catalytic domain of death-associated protein kinase (DAPK) has been overexpressed, purified and crystallized using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method with PEG 8000 and magnesium acetate as precipitants. Complexes with the inhibitor staurosporine and its analogue BDB402 were also crystallized in the presence of PEG 400 and PEG 8000, respectively. Diffraction data were collected to 2.4 A for the native catalytic domain, to 2.9 A for the staurosporine complex and to 2.7 A for the BDB402 complex. All three crystals belong to space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 77.992, b = 109.909, c = 50.063 A for the catalytic domain, a = 78.911, b = 113.162, c = 50.658 A for the staurosporine complex and a = 77.337, b = 108.869, c = 50.186 A for the BDB402 complex. In both complexes the inhibitor molecule was clearly assigned in the difference Fourier map calculated on the basis of the phases obtained from the structure of the catalytic domain.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Cloning and expression of the enolase gene from Desulfovibrio vulgaris (Miyazaki F).

The gene encoding an enolase from Desulfovibrio vulgaris (Miyazaki F) was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. A 2.1-kb DNA fragment, isolated from D. vulgaris (Miyazaki F) by double digestion with PstI and BamHI, contained an enolase gene (eno) and part of the methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase gene (folD). The nucleotide sequence of eno indicates that the protein monomer is composed of 434 amino acids. An expression system for eno under control of the T7 promoter was constructed in E. coli. The purified His-tagged enolase formed a homooctamer and was active in the formation of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) as well as in the reverse reaction, the formation of D-(+)-2-phosphoglyceric acid (2-PGA). The pH dependence and kinetic properties of the recombinant enolase from the sulfate-reducing bacterium were also studied. The amounts of eno mRNA when the bacterium was grown on glycerol or glucose were compared to that when D. vulgaris was grown on lactate.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2004

Crystallization and MAD data collection of high-molecular weight cytochrome c from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki F.

Hexadecaheme high molecular weight cytochrome c from a sulfate-reducing bacterium, Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki F has been successfully purified and crystallized. X-ray diffraction data have been collected by the multiple wavelength anomalous dispersion method. The crystal belongs to the space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with unit-cell parameters a=60.42, b=84.29 and c=144.16 A and contains one molecule per asymmetric unit.

Crystallization↗

PubMed2003

X-ray induced reduction of the crystal of high-molecular-weight cytochrome c revealed by microspectrophotometry.

The crystal structures of high-molecular-weight cytochrome c (HMC) from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough in the transient and reduced states have been determined at 2.8 A resolution. An absorption spectrum measured with microspectrophotometer indicated that about 86% of the hemes were reduced after 45 min irradiation of the X-ray beam. Further exposure for 90 min did not significantly change the spectrum. These results suggest that HMC in the crystalline state is easily reduced by illumination of the X-ray beam from synchrotron radiation.

Computer Simulation↗

PubMed2003

Hydration structures in proteins and neutron diffraction experiment on dissimilatory sul te reductase D (DsrD).

Neutron crystallography can provide a substantial amount of information about the hydration of proteins. The hydration patterns of three proteins, whose structures have been solved at 1.5 or 1.6 A resolution using our BIX-type diffractometers, show interesting features. The water molecules adopt a variety of shapes in the neutron Fourier maps, revealing details of intermolecular hydrogen-bond formation and dynamics of hydration. In addition, the neutron diffraction study of a DNA-binding protein, dissimilatory sulfite reductase D (DsrD) is briefly described, and some preliminary results are presented. This topic is of interest because it is well known that hydrogen bonds play important roles in DNA-protein recognition.

Binding Sites↗